"I told him that 'she is one of the great sopranos of her generation' and he wouldn't be disappointed.' She's really something special," Tunstall said on Monday afternoon in a phone interview from New York City, where he performs as a swing actor in "Beautiful: The Carole King Musical." "The moment she opens her mouth, the audience is in awe. She has been compared to the great Audra McDonald. She has one of the most pristine voices I've ever heard. When she's not on stage, she's in high-demand for symphony concerts all over the world."

Daniels and Tunstall will perform a holiday show at 7 p.m. Dec. 8 at the Alliance Convention Center, 1214 Turrentine St., Burlington.

"It will be a cabaret performance and Melvin is my special guest," Daniels said in a phone interview from Oklahoma City on Monday afternoon. She was preparing to perform with the Oklahoma Philharmonic this weekend. "Some of the students will be backup singers in our show. And we're doing a master class on Friday (Dec. 7). I loved hearing from people in the business when I was starting out. It's important, I think, to work with kids and help them do what they do, even better."

This will be their first time on stage together, but the two performers have mutual friends in the Broadway community and they both graduated from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati, Ohio.

"I was a freshman when Melvin was a senior," she said.

Daniels recently wrapped up a four-year run as Nabulungi in "The Book of Mormon" on Broadway. She performed as Clara in The Gershwins' "Porgy & Bess" as well as Fantine in "Les Miserables," among other credits. Daniels met her husband, Jeff Kready, during "Les Miserables." He is an actor, as well, currently starring in "Holiday Inn" in New Jersey. The couple has two daughters, Lena and Louise.

Her debut album, "Home," was released in 2012.

In addition to holiday music, the concert will include highlights of Broadway songs as well as a chance for Daniels and Tunstall to share stories.

"I met with Marshall in New York and I'm really excited to do this," she said. "I think it's amazing that Marshall has continued to not only keep in touch with Melvin, but encourage and support his career."

Tunstall, a 1994 Graham High School graduate, brought his Off-Broadway show, "Polkadots" The Cool Kids Musical," to the Paramount Theater on Nov. 2. He also had the opportunity to share his story with folks at "An Intimate Evening with Melvin Tunstall III" on Nov. 1, which was presented by Alamance Arts.

Since that time, a lot of opportunities have come Tunstall's way.

The first musical he wrote, "BLooM!," is making a comeback.

The show has been picked up by the University of North Carolina at Greensboro's (UNCG) theater department and will be performed in March.

"I wrote that show in my childhood bedroom in Green Level in 2007, so I feel like it's come full-circle," he said. "It's set in a fantastical world in which men are light and women are flowers."

The title has special meaning in that the capital letters stand for the initials for his sister, Bonita; mother, Linda; and father, Melvin Tunstall II.

New York-based director Amy Corcoran mentioned the show to Erin Speer, a director and choreographer at UNCG. The two women knew each other from the recent Broadway run of Jimmy Buffett's "Escape to Margaritaville."

Tunstall also said "we're currently in talks with publishers to get 'Polkadots' turned into a children's book. And we're hoping that it will eventually become an animated show as well."

"I feel like God always gives me little winks to know he's with me and he's guiding my life and I definitely believe that the events of the last few months have been him leading me," Tunstall said.

In January, he will celebrate five years with "Beautiful" as well.

"It's been quite the journey and the dream," Tunstall said. "And I am so thankful for all of the love and support from my friends and family in Alamance County."

Tunstall recalled that as a high school student, it was Qualls who saw his love for theater.

"We went backstage at 'Crazy For You' — Marshall knew Beth Leavel from their days at UNCG — and she said to me, 'OK, kid, live your dream.' And I tap-danced on that stage as if an audience was watching," Tunstall said. "It's a moment that has inspired me to live my dream. We all have this beautiful connection — it's up to us to share it."